Elevator for sucker rods



June 16, 1925. I 1,541.986

J. B. MARTIN ELEVATOR FOR SUCKER RODS Filed Feb, 16. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'ige.

" umm T m111- E Mar'n June 16, 1925.

J. B. MARTIN ELEVAIGR FOR SUCKER RODS v Filed Feb 16. 1924 l sheets-sheet a cra ` of wellV drillino' equip Patented June 16, 19,25.

f 1 UNITED sra-TES Jenn en. Menem, or snnnvnroanmoursrnnn.

nnnva'roa non sUoKEnnons.

' Application filed February To all 'whom t .my concern: Y

Be itlnown that '1, 'JOHN B. `MARTIN', a citizen of the "United States, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented certain `new and useful `Improvements in an `Elevan torfor Sucker' Rods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to anVf improved elevator adapted to be usedY in` supporting and coupling ofthe conventionalsuclrer rod g nent to acable or other elevating mechanism.

A further and important object of this inventionis the provision of an elevator for well drilling equipment which may be quiclily and conveniently attached to the.Y sucker rodto safely hold the latter against *liability of accidental disconnection.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailedv description.

In the accompanying `dra-wings, forming a part of `this specification, and wherein similar reference charactersadesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the improved elevator as used for supporting a sucker rod. Y Y j "Fig 2 is a plan view ofthe iniiproved sucker rod, elevator showing the same open incidental to receiving a sucker rod therein.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in cross secf tion, showing cooperating details of the in proved elevator with a portion of the vbody construction thereof removed, this vview Y showing the mannerV in which theimproved elevator is used for connectinga sucker rod thereto.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in cross section, showing the. same details as illustrated in Figure 3, however, with the parts in V.an open relationeither for releasing or receiv` ing a sucker rod. Y

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views illustrating details of the improved elevator, and Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of a novel type of; pawl` or latch device used withtlns elevator. Y In the drawings, ,wherein for the purpose of illustration isishovvn only theipreferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A ltor which is adapted-to be 1e, ieee. semina. 693,254.

may generally designatethe complete elevai used for supporting a sucker rod'B. The elevator A may consist of theibody construction 10 within which is positioned a movablesncker rod` coupling member 11. A latch device 12 is preferably provided for ecuring. the member llin a desired position withinthe body construction 10. A bail 13 may be provided in conventional -pivoted manner with respect to the elevator body construction A10, and a sv-.Yivel 14 provided uponthe upper end` of this bail 13.

` The suclfer rod B atA its upper-endis provided with the conventional attaching portion which is reduced intermediate its ends to provide the polygonal portion 2 1 which is received within the elevator devvice A; thejshoulders 22 and 23 at opposite ends of the reduced portion 21 preventing disconnection of the elevator with respeci tothe attaching portion 20, asY can readily be understood by those skilled in the art,` to which this invention relates The elevator body. construction. 10 preferably'includes `a `bodyportion or block 25 whicli is preferably formed of metal and may be `polygonal in formation, a desirable arrangement being that of making thesame in the shape of an Octagon. It is provided with `a central opening 26 of relatively large area,v and has a radialoslot 27 extending from one side edge .28 into the opening 26 and thru which slot 27 the reduced` portion 21 of the sucker rod B is slid. A segmental flange 29 .extends into the opening26; this Yflange being` of course, integral ,with'the `body and of less thickness than theV body 25, and provided for the purpose of slidably supporting the` couplingmember or, disc 11 when the latter is placed within the `opening' 26. It is to be notedthatthe segmental flange 29 providesV a reducedopening 36a axially aligning with the opening 26, and `with which opening 30 the slot 2l" also communicates. Extending upwardly from the top surface of the iiange k29 andat Va point diametrically opposed to the radial slot27 ajshoulderoi" lug 31 is provided for the vpurpose of limiting the `amplitude of oscil lation or rotary movement of the member 11, .and as will be` subsequently described.

The rod connecting member 11 is preferably of metal and of disc shaped formation, including the portion 30 which rests directly in the opening 26, and the portion 31 centrally depending from the portion 30 which is disposed in snug sliding relation within the opening 30:L provided by the flange`29 of the main body 25. A radial slot 33 eX- tends through the portions 30 and 31 to the center of the member 11; the slot at the central portion of this member being polygonal in formation and adapted to receive the polygonal portion 21 of the sucker rod therein in such relation that the sucker rod cannot move axially out of the member, but must be moved through the slot 33 in a radial manner. The slot 33 may be of different dimensions, since sucker rods vary in size, and as is illustrated in Figures 3 and flseveral shapes of slots may be provided. The lower surface 35 of the portion 30 of member 11 slidably rests on the inside surface of the main body flange 29. This surface of the portion 30, however, has a groove or recess 37 upwardly formed therein for one-quarter of a circumference, and which receives therein the projectingr lug or portion 31 of the main body 25 of the elevator; vertical shoulders 3S being provided at the ends of this slot 37 against which the sides of the lug 31 may contact to limit the amplitude of oscillating movement of the member 11 when it is disposed within the pocket 26 of the body construction.

he portion 25 of the body construction 10 preferably has a tangential recess 40 formed inwardly of the top surface thereof, within which is slidably positioned the latch construction 12. When the member 11 is properly positioned within the opening of the body portion 25 the top surface of the portion 30 of this member 11 lies flush with the top surface of the main body 25 of the construction 10. Thus, to prevent accidental axial movement of the member 11 out of the body construction 25, a cover plate L13 is provided, Which is attached over the top surfaces of the main body portion 25 and the member 11; this plate L13 being so attached by means of screws 14 or other detachable elements, and the same having a suitable central opening and a radial slot which aligns with the opening and slot of the body 25.

The latch device 12 preferably consists of an L-shaped dog member 5() having an enlarged head 51 slidable in the recess l-O provided in the main body block 25, and includes the L-shaped handle 52 which eX- tends exteriorly of the body for manual operation. A spiral spring 53 is also located in the recess l0 and acts against the head 51 for forcing the same into engagement with the annular edge of the portion 30 of the member 11. Tnwardly of this annular edge of the portion 30 a slot is provided into which the spring 53 forces the dog head 51 to hold the disc or member 11 in a desired relation with respect to the body construction 10, to lock the sucker rod B in a coupled relation with respect to the elevator A, and as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The bail 13 is of ordinary construction,

including the side arms 60 and 61a the lower ends of which are apertured for pivotally receiving the lugs 61 which are formed integral with the body 25 of the elcvator extend radially of the body from opposite sides thereof. The upper portion 6-1 of the bail construction 13 is of a cylindrical shape and terminates in a reduced screw threaded shank 65 adapted to receive a nut 66. The nut 66 is used for securing the swivel attachment 14 to the bail device 13. This swivel attachment 14 consists of the link 66"L which lits loosely upon the shank 65 of the bail and is held thereon by means of the nut 66; suitable ball bearing races 67 being provided between the swivel attachment and nut to permit the swivel attachment to rotate in an anti-friction manner upon the bail.

Referring to the manner of operation of the elevator, when it is desired to place an elevator A over the coupling rod B, the coupling member 11 is swung until the radial slots 27 and 33 are in alignmentj and the device can then be slipped over the polygonal reduced portion 21 of the sucker rod B, as can readily be understood. When this portion 21 is received at the extreme inner polygonal end of the recess 33 it is merely necessary for the operator to swing the body construction 10 to the left and the radial slot 27 of the body portion 25 lwill move out of alignment with the radial slot of the member 11 and thus lock the sucker rod in the inner end of the slot 33. The shoulders 33 contacting against the lug 31 define the limits of moif'ement of the body construction with respect to the member 11, and when the body yconstruction 10 has been moved to the left for its maximum distance the spring 53 will throw the dog head 51 into the slot 55 and loch the body construction and the member 11 together so that they may not become accidentally detached for releasing the sucker rod. The cover cap or plate 113 is. of course, provided so that different niembers 11 may from time to time be placed in the opening 26 according to the cross section of the portion 21 of the sucker rod which it is desired that the elevator shall be coupled upon. To release the sucker rod it is merely necessary for the operator to pull the dog 50 outwardly from the elevator device A, to compress its spring 53, so that the body construction 10 may be swung relativeto the coupling block 11, until the slots 27 and 33 are in alignment, and the elevator device A may then be swung oftl the sucker rod B, as

is obvious.

From tne foregoing description it is apparent that a very simple `and economical type ol elevator has been provided which may be conveniently attached or detached with respect to a sucker-rod and which is absolutely safe as appliedthereto.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention herein. shown and described, without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the claims. I claim:

l. An elevator of the class described comprising a body having an opening therein and a radial slot leading to said opening, said body being recessed from its upper face about the opening to provide an annular seat, a lug extending upwardly from said seat, a circular bloclr rotatably fitting into the opening of said body and having a radial slot, said block having an outstandingV annular shoulder extending into the recess andresting upon said seat with its upper face flush with the upper face of the body, a. cover plate carried by said body and extending over said block to retain the same in place and permit rotary movement thereof so that a portion of the slot jof said member extends into the arca of the opening of said body, said block being turnable within said body so that the slots of the block and body may be placed in alignment or out of alignment with respect to each other` the annular' shoulder of said block having its inner face provided with an annular recess receiving said lug and limiting rotary movement of said block' and latch means for holding the bloclr in a locked relation with respect to the body when the slots are out of alignment with respect to each other. p

2. An elevator of the class described comprising a body having an opening therein and a radial slot leading to said opening, said body having a flange segmentally extending into said opening, a. member rotatably mounted in the vbody and resting on said flange and having its flange engaging face provided with a circumferentially disposed recess having abutment shoulders at .its ends, said member having a radial. slot therein, a lug extending from said flange into the recess of said member to limit rotation thereof and means securing the member in the opening of said body for rotation there- `in to permit said slots to be placed in alignment or out of alignment with respect to each other, the slot of said member beingY so related to the slot and opening of the body that when the slots `are out of alignment with each other a portion of the inner end of the slot of said member will be exposed through the opening of said body.

3. In an elevator of the class described the combination of'- a body portion providing a central opening therein Vwith a radial slot leading-to said central opening from an edge of said body,` an annular flange integrally formed with the body extending into the area of said opening in a non-obstructing relation with respectto the said slot, a lug formed upwardly on said flange extending into said opening, a member having a slot radially therein, means securing the member in the opening of said body resting upon said fiange, saidv member having a groove therein adapted to receive the lug of said body to limit the amplitude of move-ment of said member within said body .whereby the slot Yof said member may be placed in `alignmentwith the slot of saidl body or moved out of communication with the slot of said body, the inner end of the slot of said member extending into the area of the opening of said body and adapted to receive therein aV portion ol' a rod for coupling the same to said elevator when the member is so positioned in said body as to have its slot out of aligning relation with respect to the slot of said body.

L In an elevator or" the class described the combination of' a body portion providing a central opening therein with a radial slot leading to said central opening from an edge of said body, an ,annular fiange integrally formed with the body extending into the area of said opening in a non-obstructing relation with respect to the said slot, a lug formed upwardly on said flange extending into said opening, a member having a slot radially therein, means securing the Amember in the opening of said body resting upon said flange, said member having a groove therein adapted to receive the lug of said body to limit the amplitude of movement of said member Vwithin said body whereby vthe slot of said member may be placed in alignment with theV slot of said body or moved out of communication with the slot of said-body, the inner end of the slot ofV said member extending into the area of the opening of said body being adapted to receive therein a portion of a rod for coupling the same to said elevator when the member is so positioned in said body as to have its slot out of aligning relation with respect to the slot of said body, and a latch mechanism adapted to lock the member to said body when the slots are out of communicating relation with respect to each other. Y

`JOHN B. MARTIN. p 

